The 3D Pioneers Challenge will once again take place as part of Rapid.Tech 3D, which will focus on its brand core as a user-focused trade congress in 2021.

3DPC 2021 Focus: A Paradigm Shift

We are facing challenges that our generation has never experienced before – the world is upside down. Society is changing – we are searching and finding solutions to find our way in a "New Normal". It is in our nature to reflect, to rethink many things. What is essential – what is superfluous? What is sustainable – what can or must we improve? What if …?

Change gives room for new ideas – room for new technologies. Digital processes and advanced technologies are taking their place in the holistic life cycle of products, pushing the seemingly unlimited possibilities. Sustainable strategies and forward-looking concepts are becoming an essential need.

The 3D Pioneers Challenge 2021 is looking for the creative minds and innovators that make the future such as students, start-ups and companies who help shape the "Paradigm Shift" and gives them the platform to present their visions and products to the general public in the verticals of Design, Digital, Architecture, Material, FashionTech, MedTech, Mobility, Sustainability and Electronic.

Participants can look forward to a prize money of €35,000, kindly supported by the Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society. The 3D Pioneers Challenge is one of the world’s most highly endowed design competitions for innovation in Additive Manufacturing processes.

The main prize winner is overall awarded the "3DPC Trophy". This limited edition design object, created especially for the 3DPC, was developed in cooperation with jury member Ross Lovegrove and Hyperganic, winner of "3DPC 2019 Digital" as well as the partner Materialise.

In 2021, the 3DPC goes a significant step further and surprises with a „Special Feature“: "The 3D Pioneers Challenge stands for holistic innovations. As part of "3DPC & Friends", we were able to get nTopology on board, the winner of the "3DPC 2020 Digital", to provide their platform for pioneering design- and engineering software free of charge. Those who want can use this innovative tool to realize ideas and concepts for the competition in 2021. During the course of the award, nTop will also provide accompanying training material. 3DPC is thus hooked into the process chain early on – we are pleased that we are able to further advance the step towards enabler and education", explain the organizers Simone and Christoph Völcker.

Participants also have the prospect of winning the following prizes and awards:

With the „Special Mention by Autodesk“ the “Autodesk Technology Centers” will award an opportunity to three winners to join the “Autodesk Outsight Network” – a global community of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and researchers building future-focused technology in design, AEC, manufacturing, and more that is destined to change our world.

The “Best Student Project” will be rewarded with the "SKETCH 3D Printer" by Makerbot. As prizes in the field of software, nTopology will award "nTop Full version" licenses to two winners across all categories.

With the book prizes from Hubs and av edition, the publisher for architecture and design, the prizes in 2021 amount to a total value of over €70,000.

Due to the pandemic, the 3DPC, as a pioneer in the industry, held the award ceremony virtually for the first time in 2020. The digital concept received a convincingly high response, which is why the organisers are once again relying on the global reach and offering all participants and interested parties the chance to attend the award ceremony live.

The 3DPC has established a remarkable network over the years, from which the top-class expert jury is made up. Pioneeringly, the significant proportion of women in the industry is also reflected in the jury. Sonita Lontoh from HP as well as Sonja Rasch from Materialise are part of the panel. Jury members such as Dr. Dirk Simon from Farsoon Europe, Frank Beckmann from Fraunhofer IAPT or Dr. Justus Bobke from Verband 3DDruck e.V. also come from the cooperation partners. The focus on Design and Architecture will be covered by the German Design Council with Lutz Dietzold or Patrik Schumacher from Zaha Hadid Architects as well as the designer Ross Lovegrove. The FashionTech category is represented by the pioneer Jasna Rokegem from Belgium or Anna Wilhelmi from the adidas Future Team. In the verticals of MedTech and Material, Dr. Cora Lüders-Theuerkauf from Medical goes Additive e.V., Andreas Velten from IFA3D Medical Solutions, and Prof. Shlomo Magdassi from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will be supporting. Prof. Mareike Gast from Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle and State Secretary Valentina Kerst from the Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society will complete the jury-team in 2021.

All information for participants, the documents as well as the online application and registration can be found at: www.3dpc.io.

Participation is free of charge for “Students” and “Young professionals”. Deadline 31 March 2021

Facts 3DPC 2021

Jury 3DPC 2021
Frank Beckmann _ Fraunhofer IAPT
Dr. Justus Bobke _ Verband 3DDruck e.V.
Lutz Dietzold _ German Design Council
Prof. Mareike Gast _ Burg Giebichenstein, University of Art and Design Halle
Valentina Kerst _ Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society
Sonita Lontoh _ HP 3D Printing Business
Ross Lovegrove _ Lovegrove Studio
Dr. Cora Lüders-Theuerkauf _ Medical goes Additive, MgA e.V.
Prof. Shlomo Magdassi _ Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Silvia Olp _ aed e.V., Architecture,Engineering and Design
Joris Peels _ SmarTech Analysis, 3DPrint.com
Sonja Rasch _ Materialise
Jasna Rokegem _ Jasna Rok FashionTech
Prof. Patrik Schumacher _ Zaha Hadid Architects
Vanessa Sigurdson _ Autodesk Technology Centers
Dr. Dirk Simon _ FARSOON Europe
Joachim Stumpp _ raumPROBE
Andreas Velten _ IFA3D Medical Solutions
Dr. Andreas Vlahinos _ Advanced Engineering Solutions
Christoph Völcker _ Innovation Lab AM, Würth Elektronik
Anna Wilhemi _ adidas Future Team

Partner 3DPC 2021
Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society, 3D Hubs, 3D natives, 3dbpm, 3DPrint.com, 3Druck.com, aed e.V., AI People, ALL3DP, AMVentures, Autodesk, av edition, CANTO, DB Deutsche Bahn, designspotter, Farsoon Europe, FIT AG, Fraunhofer IAPT, Haute Innovation, hp Inc., MakerBot, materialise, Medical goes Additive e.V., Mobility goes Additive e.V., ndion_News on Design, nTopology, German Design Council, raumPROBE, Stratasys, Verband 3DDruck e.V.

About Rapid.Tech 3D

Rapid.Tech 3D in Erfurt will take place from 22 and 23 June 2021 at Messe Erfurt and will be a congress event with an accompanying exhibition.

The event will focus on its brand core, with which it has been successful since 2004: a top-class specialist congress on current developments and perspectives in Additive Manufacturing with a high level of user relevance. The event can be experienced live on site or via online stream.

About 3DPC Platform
Over the years, the Challenge has become a platform with a worldwide network and is an interface for creative futuremakers, pioneers of advanced technologies and innovators from research and industry.

About „3DPC & Friends“
Under the umbrella of „3DPC & Friends“, 3DPC brings together the creative minds and high-tech pioneers of the 3DPC platform in an interdisciplinary way, resulting in new, groundbreaking projects in which everyone can contribute and live out their expertise – design rethought! The 3DPC shows today what tomorrow will bring – pushing boundaries.

About d.sign21
The design and consultancy company with a wealth of experience in developing and organising design challenges. Its expertise in design, additive technologies and the global network supports the 3D Pioneers Challenge.